Does campaign structure still matter with Google Ads automation?

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itz_robert

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A few years ago, people spent a lot of time creating detailed campaign structures with many ad groups and tightly grouped keywords.
Now with automation and AI features, I see many advertisers using simpler structures.
What approach are you using currently? Do detailed structures still give better control, or is a simpler setup working better nowadays?
 
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simpler works better for me now. the old SKAG stuff just splits your data too thin and smart bidding needs volume to learn.

i still separate by stuff that actually matters though: brand vs non brand, different margins/products, and geos with very different CPCs. inside that just a few themed ad groups and let it run. more structure = more control on paper but usually worse results unless you have huge spend
 
Yes I still like some structure but there is no need to overbuild it because a simple setup with good keywords and strong ads can work well.
 
one useful rule i’d point out is to split campaigns when the business goal, budget or bidding target is genuinely different, and split ad groups when the landing page or ad message needs to be different

i wouldn’t create separate structures just for match types/devices anymore. with Smart Bidding that usually just gives the system less data to work with
 
Structure matters but it must follow your business rather than keyword list. if their are 2 groups having different intent, landing pages, conversion values etc. keep them seperate dont combine them.
 
Detailed setup gave more control before, but now simple structure works better for me.
 
If two campaigns need the same ads and landing page, there may not be much reason to keep them seprate.
 
structure still matters, but i think it’s more about giving the algorithm enough data while keeping the important differences visible. i’d only split campaigns when the economics or target cpa are actually different. otherwise you’re just spreading the conversion data too thin.
 
structure still matters for keeping campaigns organized and understanding performance. I’d rather keep the setup simple and make sure each campaign has a clear purpose than over-segment everything.
 
depends on the campaign, some accounts need more control while others work fine with simpler setups.
 
detailed structures can help in some niches, but making too many ad groups can slow down testing.
 
A simple setup also gives cleaner data, so it is easier to see which part of the campaign is actually working.
 
I think detailed structure still helps in some cases, but with automation I prefer keeping campaigns more clean and simple.
 
If the budget is small, I’d avoid making lots of tiny ad groups because each one gets very little data.
 
If one campaign needs a different landing page, that is usually a better reason to split it than the keyword itself.
 
I’ve found simpler structures work better for me now, less time managing ad groups and more focus on good targeting and letting automation do its thing.
 
itz_robert said:
A few years ago, people spent a lot of time creating detailed campaign structures with many ad groups and tightly grouped keywords.
Now with automation and AI features, I see many advertisers using simpler structures.
What approach are you using currently? Do detailed structures still give better control, or is a simpler setup working better nowadays?
Click to expand...
To be honest, I keep my campaigns simple at this point. I will separate my campaigns only if there is a huge difference in the LP, budget, or target CPA otherwise, there will be to many ad group.
 
detailed structure still has its use, but I dont think you need dozens of ad groups anymore.
 
Abco_digitals said:
I’ve found simpler structures work better for me now, less time managing ad groups and more focus on good targeting and letting automation do its thing.
Click to expand...
Same for me actually; the more you do it, the more you end up with something you need to take care of. I would prefer to have a simpler structure and get the targeting right first, before letting automation get the data.
 
Use the campaign structure to make reporting easier, so you can quickly understand where the money is going.
 
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